I like to think that I'm fairly up-to-date when it comes to knowing about technological advances, particularly the ones that are used daily by the average person. But then I learn about something new, and then another something new, and I realize that I'm woefully behind and will probably never catch up. I think I'm all right with that. I'm more than happy NOT to have an iPhone or any kind of smart phone; more than happy NOT to have access to 1,000 TV channels, and I'll probably never use Twitter. But I have a blog. I use Facebook and am just getting started with Google+. I love Netflix streaming, and I do like having a phone with a qwerty keyboard.
Sometimes when I'm having a text conversation with, say, my sister, I stop in the middle of it and think how strange it is to be sending messages back and forth using little pieces of metal and plastic that aren't visibly connected to anything. I like that so much of this technology allows us to be better connected. I got a text from Andrea last night that she had just seen the Nutcracker ballet, and that she thought of me during "The Waltz of the Flowers," because we spent hours dancing together to that song. She thought of me, and, voila!, she sent a little message over the airwaves and . . . I got it.
So the newest techie things that I've become aware of are Pinterest and Google Apps for non-profits. The Google Apps is something that MNHC is looking into. Our current email system, through Microsoft, is riddled with problems, spam, and ever-increasing annoyances. Plus, it requires a bunch of electricity-sucking equipment that none of the staff has time to maintain. The solution? Switch our email from Microsoft exchange to Google. Get rid of the antiquated equipment. Put MNHC email out into the interwebs. I just barely understand how this works, but it makes sense and seems like it'll take care of a number of our current problems as well as push us forward into a more practical and useful way of doing things. Sweet. Along with all this is the concept of collaboration, for example, using Google docs, and having people "go" to a central document, instead of sending out the same document twenty times via email. That way there will be one electronic copy of it in an easy location instead of 20 electronic copies taking up hard drive space, server space, etc. (I'm not explaining this well. Apologies.) At any rate, MNHC may be on the cusp of a new way of getting work done, and this new way appears to be a more efficient, not to mention sensible, way of operating.
The second cool thing I've been introduced to is Pinterest (thanks, Philip!). It's brilliant and addicting. How many times do we have great ideas, which we perhaps scribble down on a piece of paper or put in our journals or mention to our friends . . . and then promptly forget? Pinterest keeps all our ideas in one place. It's sort of like bookmarking a webpage, but having those bookmarks in a more attractive and easy-to-use format. I've been having a great time seeing what's out there--innovative garden ideas, fun and easy crafts, ingenious ways of re-using items, etc. It seems like such a good way of sharing our ideas with one another, a way of making our lives better, more sustainable. It's a way of having access to everyone's brilliant notions. (There are no doubt plenty of less-than-brilliant notions portrayed, too, but they're pretty easy to ignore.)
Most of us, myself included, find ourselves sitting in front of screens more than we'd like as it is. But I do like to learn about cool and interesting new technologies and social networking opportunities out there. If I can be wise in the ways I use these new resources, perhaps they'll help to simplify my life rather than complicate it. Here's hoping.
And now, I'm off to the Holiday Pops concert by the Missoula Symphony Orchestra. It's a lovely sunny, snowy day and Christmas is in the air! Fa la la la la, la la la la!
Sometimes when I'm having a text conversation with, say, my sister, I stop in the middle of it and think how strange it is to be sending messages back and forth using little pieces of metal and plastic that aren't visibly connected to anything. I like that so much of this technology allows us to be better connected. I got a text from Andrea last night that she had just seen the Nutcracker ballet, and that she thought of me during "The Waltz of the Flowers," because we spent hours dancing together to that song. She thought of me, and, voila!, she sent a little message over the airwaves and . . . I got it.
So the newest techie things that I've become aware of are Pinterest and Google Apps for non-profits. The Google Apps is something that MNHC is looking into. Our current email system, through Microsoft, is riddled with problems, spam, and ever-increasing annoyances. Plus, it requires a bunch of electricity-sucking equipment that none of the staff has time to maintain. The solution? Switch our email from Microsoft exchange to Google. Get rid of the antiquated equipment. Put MNHC email out into the interwebs. I just barely understand how this works, but it makes sense and seems like it'll take care of a number of our current problems as well as push us forward into a more practical and useful way of doing things. Sweet. Along with all this is the concept of collaboration, for example, using Google docs, and having people "go" to a central document, instead of sending out the same document twenty times via email. That way there will be one electronic copy of it in an easy location instead of 20 electronic copies taking up hard drive space, server space, etc. (I'm not explaining this well. Apologies.) At any rate, MNHC may be on the cusp of a new way of getting work done, and this new way appears to be a more efficient, not to mention sensible, way of operating.
The second cool thing I've been introduced to is Pinterest (thanks, Philip!). It's brilliant and addicting. How many times do we have great ideas, which we perhaps scribble down on a piece of paper or put in our journals or mention to our friends . . . and then promptly forget? Pinterest keeps all our ideas in one place. It's sort of like bookmarking a webpage, but having those bookmarks in a more attractive and easy-to-use format. I've been having a great time seeing what's out there--innovative garden ideas, fun and easy crafts, ingenious ways of re-using items, etc. It seems like such a good way of sharing our ideas with one another, a way of making our lives better, more sustainable. It's a way of having access to everyone's brilliant notions. (There are no doubt plenty of less-than-brilliant notions portrayed, too, but they're pretty easy to ignore.)
Most of us, myself included, find ourselves sitting in front of screens more than we'd like as it is. But I do like to learn about cool and interesting new technologies and social networking opportunities out there. If I can be wise in the ways I use these new resources, perhaps they'll help to simplify my life rather than complicate it. Here's hoping.
And now, I'm off to the Holiday Pops concert by the Missoula Symphony Orchestra. It's a lovely sunny, snowy day and Christmas is in the air! Fa la la la la, la la la la!
Philip and I feel honored to have been mentioned in your infamous blog. I am woefully behind on technology myself, but I think I'm okay with it. I still can't comprehend using a Kindle instead of a real book, but hey, I always said I'd never get a cell phone. :)
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